Leak‐Free and Chemically Resistant Epoxy‐Sealed Ultramicroelectrodes from Diverse Conductor Materials

ABSTRACT Ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs) are powerful electrochemical tools due to their high sensitivity, fast steady‐state response, minimal ohmic losses, and compatibility with in situ/operando measurements. To enable broader utilization of UMEs in electroanalysis, a reliable and broadly applicable fabrication method is needed, one that ensures chemical stability across various environments and supports diverse conductor materials. Here, we report a simple epoxy‐sealing method for fabricating leak‐free and chemically robust UMEs under mild curing conditions (60°C). A systematic investigation of resin‐to‐hardener ratios reveals that a 2:1 ratio optimizes seal integrity and electrochemical performance by eliminating interference from residual unreacted hardener species. The resulting UMEs maintain stable electrochemical responses in both highly acidic (1 M H 2 SO 4 ) and alkaline (1 M KOH) environments. Importantly, this low‐temperature process enables the successful fabrication of UMEs from heat‐sensitive materials (e.g., C, Cu, Mo, W) that are unsuitable for conventional high‐temperature glass sealing. The practical applicability of the epoxy‐sealed UMEs is demonstrated through chloride ion sensing using Ag UMEs (limit of detection: 0.02 m m , achieved without supporting electrolyte) and high‐resolution scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) using beveled epoxy‐sealed UMEs. These results underscore the broad utility of the epoxy‐sealing approach for diverse electroanalytical applications.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Materials Technologies
Published
2025-12-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202501832
Primary Topic
Electrochemical Analysis and Applications
Type
article
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article

Leak‐Free and Chemically Resistant Epoxy‐Sealed Ultramicroelectrodes from Diverse Conductor Materials

Won Tae Choi, Yeongseon Jang, Israel David, Jooyong Shin et al.
Advanced Materials Technologies
Electrochemical Analysis and Applications
article

Leak‐Free and Chemically Resistant Epoxy‐Sealed Ultramicroelectrodes from Diverse Conductor Materials

Won Tae Choi, Yeongseon Jang, Israel David, Jooyong Shin, Seokjun Han, Param Dhavale
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs) are powerful electrochemical tools due to their high sensitivity, fast steady‐state response, minimal ohmic losses, and compatibility with in situ/operando measurements. To enable broader utilization of UMEs in electroanalysis, a reliable and broadly applicable fabrication method is needed, one that ensures chemical stability across various environments and supports diverse conductor materials. Here, we report a simple epoxy‐sealing method for fabricating leak‐free and chemically robust UMEs under mild curing conditions (60°C). A systematic investigation of resin‐to‐hardener ratios reveals that a 2:1 ratio optimizes seal integrity and electrochemical performance by eliminating interference from residual unreacted hardener species. The resulting UMEs maintain stable electrochemical responses in both highly acidic (1 M H 2 SO 4 ) and alkaline (1 M KOH) environments. Importantly, this low‐temperature process enables the successful fabrication of UMEs from heat‐sensitive materials (e.g., C, Cu, Mo, W) that are unsuitable for conventional high‐temperature glass sealing. The practical applicability of the epoxy‐sealed UMEs is demonstrated through chloride ion sensing using Ag UMEs (limit of detection: 0.02 m m , achieved without supporting electrolyte) and high‐resolution scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) using beveled epoxy‐sealed UMEs. These results underscore the broad utility of the epoxy‐sealing approach for diverse electroanalytical applications.

Advanced Materials TechnologiesVol. 11(6)
University of Florida (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 60%
Electrochemical Analysis and Applications
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